A Princess in Distress

Shui Yi paced back and forth in her coral bedroom chamber, her mind spinning in a whirlwind of panic. Her hair—her beautiful, long, and now unmistakably white hair—was the one thing she couldn't hide. It marked her as the fool who had made a reckless decision. She had never felt so exposed in her life.

What had she been thinking? The weight of her actions still pressed heavily on her chest.

Her thoughts raced as she searched desperately for a solution.

"Think, Shui Yi... think!" she muttered, clutching her hair. Rumours would have reached her father by now, and he will demand answers.

She needed something, anything to hide her hair.

Her eyes flicked to the bedside, where Long Fei, still in his small eel form, lay still. His breathing had steadied, though still shallow, as the poison gradually wore off. He was recovering, but she was still in a state of disarray. Although she can sense his energy through the water. She couldn't let him slip away. But she couldn't ignore her hair, either.

She was caught in a bind.

Desperation drove her forward, her mind finally latching onto an idea. She could at least attempt to hide her hair. At least for now.

A garden of seaweed in her courtyard came to mind. It wasn't much, but it was all she had. Shui Yi dived toward it, determined to salvage the situation. The seaweed was slippery and hard to manage, but she was determined.

She knelt, pulling strands of the long, slippery green plants, trying to weave them into her hair. She braided strand after strand, desperate to conceal her white locks. But the seaweed was unruly, slipping out of her grasp with each attempt. Her fingers were covered in slimy algae, and despite her best efforts, the result looked nothing like the sleek, graceful hairstyle she envisioned. Instead, it resembled a messy nest, more appropriate for seahorses than a princess.

Frustration rising, Shui Yi glanced at her reflection. The seaweed had left a mess—her hair barely hidden.

Her reflection mocked her.

"This is hopeless," she groaned, throwing her hands in the air. She tried the garden again. Suddenly, her fingers brushed something in the pile of seaweed—a strand she hadn't noticed before. She reached for it, but as she touched it, something sharp pinched her fingers.

"OW!" She yelped in surprise.

A small crab, no bigger than her hand, had latched onto her finger, its tiny pincers digging into her skin. It scuttled, stubbornly holding on. She shook her hand frantically, trying to dislodge it.

"Get off!" she cried, her voice rising in irritation.

But the little crab refused to relent, its pincers pinching harder with each shake.

***

Long Fei watched with mild amusement, then flicked his tail, sending the crab tumbling away. Just as the mermaid turned toward the sudden, strong current, Long Fei closed his eyes again and went back to cultivating.

***

Shui Yi, thought it was fortuitous that a random water current came to her aid and the tiny creature tumbled away, but she could still feel the sting where it had pinched her.

Holding her throbbing hand in disbelief, she stared down at her fingers, now marked by the tiny crab's persistent hold.

Still set on the seaweed solution, her eyes landed on a perfect seaweed strand. She reached for it, hopeful that it would hold. But before she could pull it free, an electric shock shot through her body.

Before she could react, the creature tangled in the algae yanked itself free with a violent twist. The shock reverberated through her veins, leaving her gasping for air. Her body convulsed from the jolt, and she lost her grip on the eel that camouflaged as seaweed.

"Just great," Shui Yi muttered bitterly, rubbing the sting of the shock from her arm. "Now I have frizzy hair."

Shui Yi floated, trying to regain her composure. Her gaze drifted to the sea floor, hoping for some sign of a solution. Then, her eyes caught sight of a school of squid swimming nearby. An idea sparked in her mind.

Squid ink. It was dark, thick, and can hide her hair.

With newfound inspiration, Shui Yi darted after the squids, but as she reached for one, it squirted ink directly into her face. The black goo splattered across her eyes, covering her face in a messy, inky blur.

She sputtered and wiped the ink from her eyes, grumbling.

Her face was now sticky with ink, which made her white hair stand out more.

Shui Yi froze as a faint current stirred the water around her, subtle at first, but then growing stronger. The flow of the ocean had changed, becoming thick with the presence of someone powerful.

A trumpet call blared outside her chamber.

Her heart sank. The King.

Her father. His presence was as unmistakable as his booming voice. She froze, tangled in the seaweed. The sound of the trumpet reverberated in her chest. Panic gripped her as the sound of the soft hum of metal gliding through water reached her ears, and Shui Yi's stomach lurched. The King's trident, his sign of authority, is approaching.

She turned toward the door, holding her breath.

"Shui Yi, Open the door," boomed her father's voice.

Her father was here. There was no more time for escape. No more bad disguises. She clenched her fists, forcing herself to take a deep breath. Then, slowly, she reached for the door handle.